It’s almost time to put a fork in it.
The countdown is on for the 2009 Taste of Buffalo, the largest two-day food festival in the country and one of Western New York’s signature events of the summer.
Rain or shine, the 26th annual Taste is slated for July 11 and 12 from 11 am until 9 pm on Saturday and Sunday from 11 am until 7 pm. Thousands of hungry folks will hit Delaware Avenue from McKinley Square to Chippewa Street in downtown Buffalo to sample food from a record-setting 61 area restaurants with well over 200 palate pleasing items served up. While there is no admission fee, tickets costing 50 cents each are available at the Festival and at Tops Markets.
This Taste has the highest number of rookie restaurants in festival history. First-timers include Amici Ristorante, The Como Restaurant, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Giacobbi's Pasta and Pizza, Jim's Steak Out, Landies Candies Co., Merchant Street Smokehouse, Mr. Bones, Palace of Dosas, Papi's Family Restaurant, Sweet Melody's, Torches Restaurant and Wi-Tini's. Six wineries will also be on hand.
Taste chairman Tom Muscarella tells me he became aware of the festival when he was an inspector for the Erie County Health Department. Once he was no longer assigned to the event, Muscarella joined the board and was named chairman of this year’s food frenzy. Pledging allegiance to no particular type of cuisine, Muscarella says he loves all types of food and is looking forward to hitting as many of the 61 restaurants as he can handle.
The Taste of Buffalo isn’t only about gorging on a varied menu of options. Some of the proceeds are donated to several charities. In recent years, the Taste has raised more than $250,000 for area organizations.
I look forward to hours of noshing with my fellow foodies at the Taste. I’m hitting the treadmill hard for the next few days so I can be among the gluttonous grazers on July 11 and 12th.
See you there!
Toll Free: 800.616.WBEN
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